McCombs discloses grades - this means you are free to put your GPA on your resume, and recruiters can demand to know your GPA. When I first starting looking into schools, I thought grade non-disclosure was better; after all, there was a certain utopian feel to the concept that everyone was there to learn. Several top MBA programs (Stanford, Haas, Booth, Ross, Wharton) do not disclose grades, and I thought that it was a bummer that Texas did.
But I've changed my tune. I think grade disclosure is good for three primary reasons:
1. You'll learn from studying for tests more
2. You'll get more out of your prepared classmates
3. For banking or consulting internships, hard workers can distinguish themselves
1. You'll learn from studying for tests more
What may sound obvious to some of you is that grades actually do help you to learn. In my leadership class the other day, we talked about how studies have shown that cramming for tests actually enhances retention of the material. So since caring about your grades means you'll study for the tests, you're going to retain more of the knowledge after school.
2. You'll get more out of your prepared classmates
Since your classmates care about grades, they'll be prepared for class as well, meaning you'll get the most out of their contributions, anecdotes, and thought-provoking comments.
3. For banking or consulting internships, hard workers can distinguish themselves
If you're interested in working in marketing, grades may not be as important. In fact, you probably won't have to even tell a recruiter your GPA. But for students that do want to work for banks, consulting firms, or other companies that do care about grades, they have the opportunity to stand out.
After talking to a few friends at grade non-disclosure schools, I now understand why business school isn't as much a giant drinking contest as I thought it would be. Nothing wrong with that - from time to time - but I am happy to have a balance of social and enrichment activities. Partially because of grade disclosure, I've been able to get that at McCombs.
But I've changed my tune. I think grade disclosure is good for three primary reasons:
1. You'll learn from studying for tests more
2. You'll get more out of your prepared classmates
3. For banking or consulting internships, hard workers can distinguish themselves
1. You'll learn from studying for tests more
What may sound obvious to some of you is that grades actually do help you to learn. In my leadership class the other day, we talked about how studies have shown that cramming for tests actually enhances retention of the material. So since caring about your grades means you'll study for the tests, you're going to retain more of the knowledge after school.
2. You'll get more out of your prepared classmates
Since your classmates care about grades, they'll be prepared for class as well, meaning you'll get the most out of their contributions, anecdotes, and thought-provoking comments.
3. For banking or consulting internships, hard workers can distinguish themselves
If you're interested in working in marketing, grades may not be as important. In fact, you probably won't have to even tell a recruiter your GPA. But for students that do want to work for banks, consulting firms, or other companies that do care about grades, they have the opportunity to stand out.
After talking to a few friends at grade non-disclosure schools, I now understand why business school isn't as much a giant drinking contest as I thought it would be. Nothing wrong with that - from time to time - but I am happy to have a balance of social and enrichment activities. Partially because of grade disclosure, I've been able to get that at McCombs.
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